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Institute for Creation Research

EIN 95-3523177 · Dallas, TX

Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthGood83 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

ICR SUPPORTS CHRIST'S CHURCH THROUGH SCIENCE, EDUCATION, AND MEDIA TO GLORIFY JESUS AS CREATOR, REFUTE DARWINISM, EQUIP PASTORS, RESHAPE BIOLOGY WITH DESIGN, AND DEFEND THE GOSPEL USING SCRIPTURE-AFFIRMING, MIRACLE-VALIDATING RESEARCH.

Income
$10.4 million
Spending
$10.6 million
Spent on programs
86%
Reserves
20.1 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 83%
Employees
77
Volunteers
76
Highest pay
$196,200, president/trustee

Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Financial health

Good: 83 out of 100. Higher than 64% of charities in its peer group (science, $10m to $100m).

  • Reserves

    35 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 20.1 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 5% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    8 of 15

    Spending exceeded income by 3% of income.

  • Income trend

    5 of 15

    Income fell 19% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    86% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 6 cents.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Governance

Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 49% of charities in its peer group (science, $10m to $100m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    10 of 11 voting board members are independent.

  • Conflict of interest policy

    15 of 15

    Has a written conflict of interest policy.

  • Whistleblower policy

    8 of 8

    Has a written whistleblower policy.

  • Record keeping policy

    7 of 7

    Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.

  • Board minutes

    5 of 5

    Keeps minutes of board meetings.

  • Board sees the tax return

    10 of 10

    Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.

  • Pay set independently

    5 of 5

    Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.

  • Independent check of accounts

    15 of 15

    Its accounts were audited by an independent accountant.

  • No reported misuse

    10 of 10

    Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Impact evidence

Describes programs. Its tax return describes what it does but we have found no measurable results in it.

Programs described in its return (3)
  1. $5.2 million spent. EDUCATION:THE ICR DISCOVERY CENTER FOR SCIENCE & EARTH HISTORY PROVIDES AN INTERACTIVE LEARNING EXPERIENCE FOR VISITORS OF ALL AGES, AND TEACHES THEM THAT THEY CAN TRUST GOD'S WORD AND THAT WHEN SCIENCE IS INTERPRETED CORRECTLY IT CONFIRMS THE BIBLE. COURSES IN BIBLICAL APOLOGETICS AND ICR'S PROFESSIONAL PROGRAMS INCLUDE BIBLICAL ARCHAEOLOGY, CREATION AND FLOOD HISTORY, THEOLOGY, AND BIBLICAL APOLOGETICS. EDUCATION PROGRAMS INCLUDE FACE-TO-FACE CONTINUING EDUCATION COURSES AND ONLINE COURSEWORK FOR CHRISTIAN SCHOOL TEACHERS AND CHRISTIAN LEADERS, HOMESCHOOL ASSOCIATIONS, AND CHURCH LEADERSHIP. PUBLICATIONS SUCH AS ACTS & FACTS AND THE ICR WEBSITE ARE USED PRIMARILY AS EDUCATION TOOLS; MANY OTHER STUDY RESOURCES ARE AVAILABLE ON THE FOCUS TOPICS.
  2. $2.8 million spent. APPLIED RESEARCH & COMMUNICATIONS:BOOKS, SUCH AS THE "GUIDE TO" SERIES, UNLOCKING THE MYSTERIES OF GENESIS AND STUDENT GUIDE, AND THE BOOK OF BEGINNINGS, SUPPORT THE ICR MISSION TO COMMUNICATE THE LATEST RESEARCH ON ORIGINS AND EARTH HISTORY FROM A BIBLICAL PERSPECTIVE. DVD'S/VIDEOS, SUCH AS UNLOCKING THE MYSTERIES OF GENESIS, MADE IN HIS IMAGE, THE TRUTH ON TOUR SERIES, AND UNCOVERING THE TRUTH ABOUT DINOSAURS, PROVIDE EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION TOOLS, SOME WITH CLOSED CAPTIONS AND SUBTITLES IN A VARIETY OF LANGUAGES, TO MEET THE NEEDS OF ICR'S DIVERSE AUDIENCES. SCHOLARLY NEWS ARTICLES ARE PRESENTED IN CREATION SCIENCE UPDATES, AND INSPIRATIONAL ENCOURAGEMENT CAN BE FOUND IN PUBLICATIONS SUCH AS THE QUARTERLY DEVOTIONAL DAYS OF PRAISE. ICR ALSO DEVELOPS TECHNICAL SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH FOR GENERAL AUDIENCES AND OFFERS PROGRAMS SUCH AS THE ICR RADIO MINISTRY, PODCASTS, SOCIAL MEDIA, EVENTS, AND CONFERENCES ACROSS THE COUNTRY AND THE GLOBE. ICR'S COMMUNICATIONS RESOURCES PRESENT A CHRISTIAN WORLDVIEW AND PROVIDE SCIENTIFIC EVIDENCE SUPPORTING BIBLICAL CREATION BASED ON GENESIS 1:11.
  3. $1.1 million spent. RESEARCH:ICR SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH SUPPORTS CREATION SCIENCE AND THE ISSUES OF ORIGINS FROM A BIBLICAL PERSPECTIVE. RESEARCH PROJECTS IN THE LIFE SCIENCES INCLUDE FOSSIL SOFT TISSUES ANALYSIS, HUMAN-CHIMP DNA COMPARISONS, HUMAN ANATOMY AND DESIGN, AND GENETICS RESEARCH. PHYSICAL SCIENCES RESEARCH INCLUDES STUDIES IN GEOLOGY, FLOOD SEDIMENT ANALYSIS, COSMOLOGY, AND ASTRONOMY PROJECTS SUPPORTING A YOUNG EARTH.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Legitimacy checks

  1. Is it registered with the IRS? Passed.

    Listed in the IRS master file of tax-exempt organizations as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  2. Has the IRS revoked its tax-exempt status? Passed.

    Not on the IRS automatic revocation list.

    Source: Automatic revocation of exemption list, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  3. Are donations tax-deductible? Passed.

    On the IRS list of organizations eligible to receive tax-deductible contributions.

    Source: Publication 78 data: organizations eligible for tax-deductible contributions, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  4. Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.

    Most recent return on file covers the year ending June 2025.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  5. How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.

    Recognized by the IRS since November 1980.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  6. Is it in good standing with state regulators? Passed.

    Not on California's list of charities barred from soliciting. Other states are not yet checked.

    Source: May Not Operate or Solicit for Charitable Purposes list, California Attorney General, Registry of Charities and Fundraisers, file dated October 21, 2026.

Ratings and checks are our reading of public records, using the published method. They are not a statement about anyone's honesty. If you work for this organization, you can send corrections or results, confirm you want gifts through Veridonate, or ask to be removed from giving.